[EBB Sightings] Gray Flycatcher continues in Oakland

Birders:

The Gray Flycatcher that Su Cox found Sunday on the Oakland Christmas  
Bird Count continued mid-day today, near where Pat Bacchetti found  
and identified it yesterday.  It was the count's first Gray  
Flycatcher ever.

Here are Pat's directions, and a neighborly caution:

> Here's the location: Upper Knowland Park is above the Oakland Zoo,  
> east of Highway 580.  Going east on 580, take the 106th Ave exit go  
> left, left onto Foothill, then left onto 106th Ave.  After you go  
> under the freeway, go right and 106th becomes Malcolm as it goes up  
> the hill. Continue on Malcolm for about a mile and park between  
> Lochard and Ettrick Streets.  These are short streets with little  
> parking, but it's easy to park on Malcolm.  Walk left (north) down  
> Ettrick and enter the park though the yellow gate; go straight on  
> the dirt path in front of you for about 20 yards, then turn left at  
> the T.  The bird is in the trees and fallen trees just to the north  
> of this trail.  Su found it at 11 AM on Sunday when it was warm and  
> sunny.  I was up there today at 3 PM after the worst of the morning  
> cold and it was easily found.
> It's best if approached by one of the neighbors to explain that  
> you're looking for birds and nothing more.  Their houses back up to  
> the park, and they're very aware if you're new to the area.  Folks  
> are friendly and interested after they know that you're there for.


Additional notes from today: the T trail intersection that Pat  
describes is closer to 80 yards from the yellow gate.  After turning  
left at the T, as Pat describes, you'll encounter another T, at a  
north-south cross-trail after about 250 yards, where the ground  
begins to break downhill to the west.  Today the Gray Flycatcher was  
south of the trail (not north, where Pat had it), and it was close to  
the cross-trail.  In that area it foraged from low, isolated coyote  
bushes and from the lower limbs of live-oaks.  Once it flew about 100  
yards west of the cross-trail, where it perched for a time atop a  
live-oak before returning to today's foraging area.  It was still  
present when I left, at about 1:00 pm.

Good going, Su AND Pat!

Dave Quady
Berkeley, California
davequady at att.net